[Pumptesting] Pumphouse Problem follow-up - Requesting update on pump house from Sunday

[Tara Halwes]

Yes, helpful:

Re: 1, yeah “Everon”, or “Everon, formerly ADT Commercial”

Re: 4a/4c, yeah I suspected they’d only reset the FACP, and really they
shouldn’t be directly interacting with the other controls, right? But if
this same thing happens again, I suggest whoever is there in person first
take a look at the Fire Pump controller display in the other room and send
a picture to this list (send anyway if normal but especially if error or if
stuck on firmware screen).

Re: 5, in that case they (FD) may be half right, but missing the key detail
of what problem to correct so we’re better protected.

Re: 6, gotcha, we can either put it on TEST before attempting a test, or
inform the FD that we’re doing the thing again and *expect* them to get an
alert. We can decide whether to attempt this *before* vs *after* restarting
the pump controller to clear the firmware screen.

Re: 7, right, sorry, meant the fire pump controller, will attach photo of
today’s display. This is approximately what it was doing during a previous
blip that called the FD, possibly the same instance you’re referring to but
I’m not positive. Courtney watched Daver toggle the main and transfer
switches that time to restart the fire pump controller, which is what I
didn’t do today because I wasn’t sure of status. It seems unlikely anyone
(i.e. Adam or Daver) is intentionally trying to do firmware things without
having warned *either* of us though, and it doesn’t sound like a
new-since-Sunday problem so I think it’s safe to proceed with restarting
the controller and then maaaaybe a transfer switch test.

Will do at least the first part tomorrow if Courtney reminds me (she will)

Thanks!
Tara
508-361-9605

On Wed, Sep 24, 2025 at 16:05 Ross Harpestad <grsshppr at kumango.net> wrote:

> in order:
> 1) Shortly after the power blip, I received a call from
> Everon/ADT/Whatever they're called now saying they received a fire alert. I
> did inform them we just had a power blip and while that should send them a
> trouble alert, they shouldn't have gotten a Fire Alarm. She confirmed a
> Fire Alarm and said the FD was notified. I went onto the campus and met the
> FD at the pump house.
> 2) Unknown - The FD was checking the pump when I arrived, they then
> checked the FACP and reset the alarm before I could look at it. I didn't
> follow up- I assume the alarm/alert is still in the log.
> 3) Yes.
> 4a) Nothing to my knowledge.
> 4b) Nothing to my knowledge.
> 4c) A reset was done.
> 4d) Nothing to my knowledge.
> 5) Talking to the FD, they agreed the power blip likely tripped the alarm.
> 6) None. I recall seeing the FD arrive for a power blip a few
> weeks earlier. Once the FD left, I was getting ready to leave when it
> occurred to me that a simple power blip should not be triggering a fire
> alert and subsequently calling the FD. I first thought that perhaps
> something on the FACP was changed or recoded recently, and I sent a note to
> Adam. Then it occurred to me that perhaps the power transfer switch didn't
> engage properly. If that doesn't switch, the Pump Control would indeed be
> utterly without power and force a FACP alert which could trigger a call to
> the FD. I then thought to ask if the Power Transfer Switch was still being
> tested. I considered testing the Power Transfer Switch but was worried that
> if it didn't switch properly, it may trigger another alert, so I left it
> untested.
> 7) Which controller status are you asking about?  I personally didn't
> check the pump controller nor the FACP. I did look at the Power Control
> Switch and it read normal, but that would be expected as the power was back
> on and the generator wasn't running. The Power Control Switch isn't smart
> and doesn't hold a log.
> 8) Unknown.
> 9) Not I.
> 9a) Unknown.
> 9b) Unknown.
>
> I hope this helps.
>
> Ross
>
> On Wed, Sep 24, 2025 at 3:33 PM Tara Halwes <tarahalwes at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Adam or Ross, (or??)
>>
>> FD on site Sunday presumably was because of power blip Ross mentioned re:
>> transfer switch testing. He said they came because they received an alarm
>> call from our FACP at #90. I want to log relevant details so please reply
>> to this list with the following if you know.
>>
>> 1. Who actually spoke to the FD?
>> 2. What was the specific error or alarm code that was sent from the FACP?
>> 3. Did that align with whatever the FD said they got an alert about?
>> 4. What if anything was done or changed 4.a) with the fire pump control
>> panel?
>> 4.b) with the transfer switch or main power switch?
>> 4.c) with the FACP directly?
>> 4.d) other?
>> 5. What was concluded by the fire department? (Or Encore or Everon if
>> engaged?)
>> 6. What next steps were suggested or planned (aside from asking about
>> Transfer Switch testing which Ross has already done)?
>> 7. Was the controller status checked at the time of the FD visit? It
>> should have been, if the alarm related to power. What was the status?
>> 8. Was the status screen in the “firmware updating state” at that time?
>> 9. If so, did anyone follow the posted instructions for resetting it?
>> 9.a. If yes, then we have a new problem which is that it’s already
>> glitched again and it’s only been 3 days.
>> 9.b. If no, then it’s just a human process problem/gap we can address
>> without spending money.
>>
>>
>> *Wednesday Sept 24, 2026 - Current status*:
>>
>>    - The fire pump controller is in the “firmware updating” state.
>>    -  previously gave us a procedure for getting it unstuck from that
>>    state, which is posted on the wall above the test instructions.
>>    - Courtney and I didn’t want to do that without knowing if the
>>    current state is
>>    - A) an *intentional* result of something one of you or the Fire
>>    Department did on Sunday, versus
>>    - B) a new issue since Sunday, vs
>>    - C) a thing that wasn’t noticed on Sunday but may have already been
>>    happening and thus potentially (accurately) sending an alarm.
>>    - Either way we may not have pump power redundancy until the
>>    controller is restarted, but it would also be good to understand why this
>>    is happening
>>
>> Thanks,
>> ~Tara
>>
>>
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